10 Questions To Ask Your Doula
You and your partner have decided to hire a doula - congratulations! There is much evidence supporting the use of birth and postpartum doulas; having a professionally trained support person on your side during pregnancy, delivery and postpartum can not only help you have a positive experience but may also decrease chances of unnecessary interventions, cesarean section and increase the chances of a spontaneous vaginal birth. You probably know all of this already if you’ve gotten to the point of wanting to hire a doula, but now the question becomes - where do you start and how do you know which doula is right for you? There are quite a few ways to find a doula in your state or city, but a good place to start might be DoulaMatch.net . Before moving forward with your chosen doula or agency, there are a few questions you should ask in order to get to know your doula(s) and ensure that they are a good fit for you and your birth preferences.
Where/when did you receive your doula training?
A certified doula is someone that has gone through a detailed training process and has likely completed other requirements such as training courses, required reading, and a certain number of hours of experience in order to receive their certificate. There are several different organizations that a doula may choose to become certified through. If a doula is “pursuing certification” or labeling themself as “trained”, they may have undergone all of the doula training but are still completing things required by their organization for certification.
How are you able to support me/my partner during labor?
You may want to ask the doula to explain the different ways they are able to support you and your partner during labor. You can ask what methods they like to use for emotional support and physical support, as well as any other specific training they have that they incorporate into their labor support (such as aromatherapy). A doula does not replace your main support person, and should be able to help them help YOU in the best way possible; you may want to ask how the doula plans to support your partner during labor as well.
What is your time frame for being “on-call”? Do I have access to you 24/7? What happens if I go into labor early or late?
This may vary from doula to doula, but for the most part, your doula is available to you as a resource to call or text once you’ve signed a contract. Many offer phone or text support if you have questions, or need a referral or resource. A doula may consider herself “on-call” 24/7 from 37 weeks onward, meaning that if you go into labor and need her any time of the day or night, she will be there to answer your call. She may instruct you to call instead of text during these last few weeks to ensure that she can be there for you at a moments notice. Be sure to ask what her policy is if you go into labor earlier than 37 weeks or go over your estimated due date.
Why did you decide to become a doula?
This may be a great question to ask in order to get to know your doula more on a personal level. Doulas come from all backgrounds and may have many different experiences in life that inspired their desire to become a doula. This may or may not influence your decision whether or not to hire a specific doula, but it may help you gain insight into the doulas past experiences and current motivating factors.
What type of support do you offer - will we meet virtually or in person, and how often?
These days, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, many doulas offer a few different options for client meetings, including meeting virtually over FaceTime or Zoom. Typically a doula will meet with you a few times during your pregnancy to discuss your birth plan and preferences, and how they can best support you and your partner through pregnancy and beyond. These may be referred to as “prenatal” appointments. They will also meet with you postpartum (at least once for a birth doula, and several times for a postpartum doula), and these are sometimes referred to as “postpartum visits”.
What will happen if an emergency or something else prevents you from attending my birth?
Sometimes, unavoidable things happen. Although rare, an emergency might occur preventing your doula from being at your birth as originally planned. Your doula should have a plan in place for if and when this should happen. Occasionally, a doula may have another client that is due around the same time that you are (or another client will go into labor unexpectedly early or late), and may have a backup doula on-call for either birth. Ask your doula if she has a backup and if you can meet them.
We are planning a home birth / water birth / cesarean birth / unmedicated / hospital birth, what’s your experience with that type of birth?
It may be helpful to find out what experience your doula has with the type of birth you are planning. Doulas receive detailed training including continuing education and may be well-trained in certain areas even if they have limited hands-on experience. Ask her how she plans to support you in your decision-making and in the environment you choose to birth in.
Do you offer any other services like infant feeding consultation, placenta encapsulation, etc.?
Some doulas offer additional services that may be included or added on to your contract with them. If these are not included in their services, they may be able to refer you to someone in your area that does offer these things.
What is your fee and what does it include?
Doula fees vary across the board for a number of reasons, such as amount of experience, services offered, multiple doulas on-call for your birth, and length of the contract. Be sure to ask what your doula charges and what the fee includes, and be sure to ask if you will incur any additional charges along the way if extra support is needed or requested. It may also be helpful to ask what would happen to your fee if the doula was unable to be at your birth, or something prevented them from giving the labor support you anticipated (such as if you deliver via an unplanned cesarean).
What is your philosophy about birth?
There are a lot of opinions on whether or not a doula should hold a “philosophy” about birth. After all, the birth is about you and your baby, NOT about them or their personal preferences or beliefs. But, if you are someone who holds specific beliefs about pregnancy and childbirth, and need to make sure that you and your doula are compatible in the areas that mean the most to you, this question may help you learn if the doula is right for you and your preferences. Find a doula whose view of labor and birth is compatible with your own, and will make you feel comfortable, confident and supported about whatever you choose for yourself and your baby during pregnancy, labor, delivery and beyond - no matter what.